Humane Society sues Kenner over ban on feeding stray animals

The Humane Society of Louisiana has become involved with a Kenner woman's fight against a law that forbids the feeding of dogs or cats found "at large." Katherine Reese contends that she was cited by code enforcement investigators from Kenner for feeding her own cats.

In a suit prepared for Kenner City Court, Reese said she thinks one of her neighbors called Kenner officials and that the neighbor has since been seizing her cats when they are outside.

The lawsuit asks that the citation be quashed because the law that bans the feeding of at-large dogs or cats is unconstitutional. The suit also says that in addition to being vague and overbroad, the Kenner law mentions an animal control board that does not exist: "No person may feed any dog or cats found at large, unless acting under the auspices of the feral animal control board."

Without the control board, the entire law is illegal, according to the lawsuit.

Kenner officials did not attend a Wednesday afternoon news conference held by the humane society to announce the lawsuit. "We're not going to try this case in the public. We're going to let a judge decide the facts of the case and make a ruling," said Kenner City Attorney Keith Conley.

The suit asks that Reese's citation be thrown out and for the law to be ruled illegal.